This page reports on our choice of excursions and activities in the port of Costa Maya, Mexico. It was a winner!

When I think about ports of call that I will long remember, Costa Maya is near the top of the list. Costa Maya is not a city, but is a port established near the small fishing village of Mahahual on the Yucatan Peninsula, in order to accommodate cruise ship travel.

You’ll find Costa Maya listed on many cruises in the Western Caribbean.

NOTE: Upcoming travel will reflect major changes to this port. Royal Caribbean has purchased the port and will transform it to Perfect Day Mexico, creating a beach club in line with its other “Perfect Day” offerings, like the popular Perfect Day at CocoCay. I will update this page when I visit the new, expanded port.

The whatsinport.com page for Costa Maya is here. That website, FYI, is always a great starting place when looking at ports! I use it for each port I visit, to make sure I know what to expect about transportation, options for excursions, etc.

The official Costa Maya port website is here.

TOP EXCURSION CHOICE: mayan ruins

Prior to our first stop in Costa Maya, we found a company, The Native Choice, and selected an excursion that would tour Mayan ruins and also offer a visit to a tropical garden where we would be served a meal. Since it was going to be a long-ish excursion, we knew that a meal would be welcome. We really did not know how wonderful the day would be.

This excursion was the absolute highlight of our Caribbean cruise (Celebrity Equinox, 2018).

We walked through the port to find the meeting spot where The Native Choice tour guides then organized us onto a van. We were driven about 45 minutes to visit the Mayan ruins. All the while, our tour guide gave us an orientation to Mayan history and culture, so that when we arrived, we had some context for what we would see at the Chacchoben Ruins. All tour guides were descendants of the Mayan people, and their knowledge of and pride in the culture made for a rich experience.

We arrived at the Chacchoben Ruins, and explored while the tour guides carried coolers with plenty of cold water for us. We heard and saw spider monkeys in the trees, and were told how the ruins were first discovered by an archeologist who noted, from a helicopter, some unusual “hills” in otherwise flat land and surmised that they were temple ruins. Indeed, excavations uncovered these structures, now available for us to see.

This is an experience that you will not forget.

Our excursion continued with a tour of a lush, tropical garden filled with a variety of plants, tropical fruits, and a replica of a traditional Mayan dwelling. This was my first time to see vanilla beans growing.

We were then invited to watch the preparation of a meal, or I should say, a true feast. There was some training on making tortillas (no press involved!), but we let the cooks finish ours on the traditional griddle. The food was amazing.

If you are stopping in Costa Maya, I highly recommend this company to you. In addition to our amazing experience, I have read comments from many others who have used The Native Choice and were pleased with a well-organized and valuable excursion.

AT the port: MAyan wellness

On a subsequent port stop, we wanted a very relaxed visit to Costa Maya, and some time to explore the port itself. We booked a “Mayan Wellness Retreat” through the cruise line, which offered a combination of treatments in a spa setting. The highlight, at the end of the hour-long session, (and frankly, probably the only part I would want to repeat) was a very special hammock massage. You are in a hammock while the massage therapist works from underneath you, loosening all the kinks and tightness you brought onto the cruise. It’s something you do not want to end.

No Excursion? No problem!

It can be a good strategy to pace yourself, excursion-wise, even during a generally relaxing cruise vacation. Especially if you have already visited Mayan ruins, you certainly can decide to forego a purchased excursion here and simply enjoy the port at Costa Maya. There is a pool that is free to use. You can purchase a session to swim with dolphins. There is plenty of shopping, restaurants and bars. You can do a tequila tasting. And chat with flamingos!

Have you been to Costa Maya, or plan to go? What are your thoughts, and what have you enjoyed there, or want to do next?